Ex-human-rights chief belittled staff, abused authority

(National Post) When an earthquake rattled the nation’s capital in 2010, the former head of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ordered her frightened staff to stay inside their shaking building so they could attend a ceremony she had organized for herself, says a withering new report.

Brushing aside the concerns of her employees during the earthquake is among the more egregious allegations of “gross mismanagement” levelled against Shirish Chotalia in a report released Thursday by the public sector integrity commissioner.

Mario Dion’s two-year investigation concluded that Chotalia’s behaviour towards some employees and members of the tribunal constituted harassment and abuse of authority.

“In my soon-to-be two-and-a-half years as public sector integrity commissioner, this is the worst lack of respect vis-as-vis individuals that you are responsible for,” Dion said during a teleconference.